


drowsy

by down



Series: challenge accepted [1]
Category: Magic Knight Rayearth
Genre: F/F, Post canon, Pre-Relationship, unrepentant fluff!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-08
Updated: 2013-06-08
Packaged: 2017-12-14 08:58:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/835074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/down/pseuds/down
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Umi and Tarta (and a bit of Tatra) and an elephant statue and books.</p>
            </blockquote>





	drowsy

**Author's Note:**

> Originally for day 3 of my 12 days of christmas self-challenge? (I thought it was in the weight of water verse when I wrote it, but it fits better here...)
> 
> Fluffy nonsense. Which is the best kind of nonsense. *grins*
> 
> (I have an Umi/Tarta SERIES *proud of herself*)

oOo

The Bravada was hanging lazily in the sky over the castle of Cephiro, not unlike the islands which floated on the horizon. It was no longer early in the afternoon, but nor was it late; it was the time when the oppressive heat of a high summer’s day began to relent and soften. 

Umi had been in the Bravada since lunchtime. The Princesses of Chizeta had shared lunch with her, but then business called both of them away. Umi could have descended from the ship; there was a walkway connecting it to the castle, an extension of one of the buttresses so that the crew could come and go without needing the Princesses there to provide a path for them. But it was too hot to move, and she wandered lazily through the ship instead. 

Fuu was with Ferio, being cute somewhere; Hikaru was busy entertaining Eagle with all the events of the past few weeks. Most of the Cephirans were busy. There was nothing to pull her away from the dimmer, cooler passages in the depths of the ship, peeking into those rooms which opened for her, letting one hand trail over the walls. Away from the public areas of the ship, this chambers were mostly small and comfortable, designed for the use of those trapped onboard during long journeys. There were lounges and garden rooms, rooms with tables designed for games she didn’t know; and somehow she was unsurprised when she pushed on one tall door and found herself on the threshold of a library. 

It was larger than the other rooms, but still far smaller than the main hall. Shelves lined the room, fretwork doors allowing glimpses of the books within but holding them safe in case the ship rocked. The room was circular – it must be at the centre of this level, she realised. Shelves curved about the walls, a walkway beside them with an ornamented railing alongside, and then at the centre there was a drop; a metre and a half, maybe, to an area strewn with rugs and cushions. The kind of place Umi could imagine someone like Fuu curling up with a book for hours on end. 

Strangely enough, though she suspected Tatra would be a frequent visitor, she didn’t see her staying here to read. There was a ledger on a low table by the door, with columns inside – a record of books borrowed, she thought, which implied everyone was free to use this space, even though she was currently the only person here. (Most of the ship was deserted, in fact. The crew were exploring Cephiro while she explored the ship, apart from those still on duty.) Somehow… she thought Tatra would take her books away to read elsewhere, and let the crew relax without the presence of one of the Princesses. Just like lunch: they had eaten in a private lounge, and served themselves from the dishes which had been left for them. It had been… nice, getting away from the usual chaos of the Castle’s dining hall – more like eating at home. 

Even if Umi spent half the meal arguing with Tarta over the best styles of swordplay. 

Umi shook her head, and paid attention to her surroundings again. At the very heart of the room, in the centre of that dropped-down area, was another of those elephant-like statues. It stood about as tall as Umi; less intimidating than the ones in the main hall, but still slightly incongruous. She had to grin at it. Tarta really liked the things. They littered the entire ship. 

Wandering about, Umi picked a bookcase at random and unlatched the doors, pulling a heavy book from its place. The volume was bound in something not quite leather, but with the same kind of strength under her hands; the title scrolled across the front in letters coiled and curved and completely unintelligible. It had its own latch, and she slipped it open; the pages inside were incredibly think and covered in long lines of that swirling script. She set it back, and picked up another; this had flowing patterns drawn about the edges of the pages, and slightly heavier paper. The pages were soft to the touch, almost furry. 

Umi set it back and closed the doors carefully. She moved to the next, and opened the doors. 

These must be books on the animals of Chizeta. Several had illustrations of birds or animals on the pages; Umi flicked through several, then found one filled with – well, elephants. She grinned and took it with her, latching the bookcase and making her way down to the central area. It was still overly warm in here, though the light came entirely from softly glowing sconces in the ceiling. She might as well stay here for a while. Tarta had promised her a sparring match, if they had time later. Until then… 

She looked up at the statue again, and grinned. 

oOo

“What are you _” A voice snapped, and Umi jolted awake, nearly slipping from her place on the back of the statue. She grabbed at the book on her stomach before it could fall, but couldn’t save the two cushions she’d dragged up with her. They thumped down, one after the other, next to Tarta’s tapping foot._

“…Reading?” She said, with a grin, holding the book up so Tarta could see the title. “Well, looking at the pictures, anyway. I can’t actually read it. Then I fell asleep.” 

Tarta’s glare didn’t lessen. “And you had to do that _on top of my statue?_ ” 

“The view’s nice from up here!” Umi declared, and she could almost see the steam coming off Tarta. “You should join me!” 

“Get down from there! You could damage it! _Again!_ ” Tarta snapped, and Umi turned to sit with her legs swinging over the side rather than along the gentle curve of the wide back. 

“That was _not_ my fault!” 

“If you hadn’t moved-“ 

“I wasn’t going to let you _hit_ me- _aah!_ ” Umi yelped, as Tarta grabbed her ankle and _pulled_. She lost her balance, and slid from the statue, one arm flailing and the other gripping the book tightly. The book had her off balance, and she barely got her legs underneath her as she hit the ground. Stumbling, she slipped backwards, and had just time to think ‘this is going to hurt…’ as her head neared the solid stone of the statue’s leg. But Tarta yelled now, and grabbed hold of her, pulling her away – too hard, and Umi collided with her. 

They crashed down in a tangle, hitting a pile of cushions hard enough that two of them split their seams, feathers exploding across the room. 

“…Ow.” Tarta muttered. Umi had fallen across her stomach – and the hard corners of the book were jabbing into both of them. Umi tried not to, but she had to giggle – and then the book jabbed harder, and she rolled away, giggle turning into a full-on laugh as she saw the myriad tiny feathers drifting in the air above them. “Stop it! Tatra’s going to kill us for this mess!” Tarta ordered, and that only made Umi laugh harder. 

She twisted on her side until she could see to pat Tarta’s hand consolingly. The feathers below her tickled her nose, and her cheek; Umi sneezed. “Like we did the cushions?” She managed to say, between laughter and gasps for air. 

Tarta started giggling too, beside her. “You look-“ She reached out, and plucked a feather from Umi’s hair; a pointless thing, as more were getting tangled in it’s place as Umi moved. 

Careful footsteps on the walkway above couldn’t dent their mirth, though Umi did prop herself up on her elbows to look up. “…Oh dear.” Tatra said, voice resigned, as she looked down at them. 

Her expression was too much; Umi was half choking on her laughter, and tears were trickling down her face. She dropped her head down onto Tarta’s shoulder and let herself laugh until her throat was sore, Tarta roughly patting her on the back while she, too, laughed herself out. 

“…I will fetch the cleaners.” Tatra said, and left them to it. 

oOo

end

oOo


End file.
